Browns Insider: Crennel not worrying about turmoil

Browns coach Romeo Crennel said he's not worried about his team splintering with some of the turmoil surrounding it in the aftermath of the 14-11 loss to the Redskins.

In addition to dropping to 2-4, the team is dealing with tight end Kellen Winslow's postgame remarks about his staph infection, on-the-field friction between quarterback Derek Anderson and fullback Lawrence Vickers and speculation that Anderson will be replaced by Brady Quinn if he continues to struggle.

"I think I have a good leadership group in that locker room," said Crennel. "I think they'll be able to handle any situation that arises, and I think that they're going to do what's best for the team, and they're going to try to talk to their teammates about doing what's best for the team."

Crennel downplayed the fourth-quarter exchange between Anderson and Vickers, in which Anderson tried to talk to Vickers about an alignment issue that cost the Browns a timeout. Vickers threw Anderson's hand off his shoulder and then waved off Anderson.

Crennel attributed it to a headset malfunction and said it was no big deal. But it was the second time in three games the TV cameras captured a confrontation between Anderson and a teammate. He and receiver Braylon Edwards had words in Cincinnati and were separated by running back Jamal Lewis.

"This is an emotional sport," said linebacker Andra Davis. "You work hard all year to put yourself in position to be able to compete and try to achieve that ultimate goal. When you have so much talent and things aren't going the way you planned for them to go, guys get emotional. Everybody's trying to figure out a way to right the ship. This is our livelihood. We want to win, we want to be the best we can be. And when we're not playing up to par, it's frustrating."

Davis, one of the team captains, warned that the players can't get sidetracked.

"We have to be mature enough to focus on the [3-3] Jaguars," said Davis. "We have to focus on winning. We can't focus on any negative stuff. If we do, it's already bad now at 2-4. But if we keep focusing, and all this negative stuff keeps coming up, it can get real ugly for us." D.A. under pressure: Crennel said the difference between Anderson against the Redskins and Anderson against the Giants had plenty to do with the supporting cast.

"They were unable to make some plays," Crennel said. "I thought the protection wasn't as good as it was Monday night. When you put it all together, you're not very effective."

Crennel said Anderson is more effective when he reads the whole field and goes through his progressions rather than locking in on one side. He was also asked if Quinn is on high alert.

"Quinn has always been on high alert, and I think he'll stay at high alert," said Crennel. Tucker ailing: Crennel didn't rule out the possibility of knee surgery for right tackle Ryan Tucker, who was not in uniform for the Redskins game.

"There's a lot of wear and tear on that knee, and it got impacted because he had to play the whole [Giants] game," said Crennel. "So, it swelled up on him a little bit. It's gotten better, but we'll have to see." Injury updates: Defensive end Corey Williams had his left shoulder examined, "and we'll see how that's going to play out for us," said Crennel. Linebacker Shantee Orr underwent an MRI on his foot, but results were not available. Defensive lineman Shaun Smith will have his hand re-checked by his specialist in New York this week. "This could be the week I get back," he said. On Edwards' drops: Edwards has 10 dropped passes this season, including four in Washington. "We have to keep coaching him and keep working with him on focus and concentration and not pressing, to relax and just let the ball come to him and not tighten up when the ball does come to him," Crennel said. "We know that he can catch the ball, and he can make good plays for us, we just need to get him to do that on a consistent basis."

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